**UK Government Hacked in October, Minister Confirms**

In a shocking revelation, British Trade Department Minister Chris Bryant has confirmed that the UK government was hacked in October, sparking concerns about the security of sensitive information.

The incident is believed to be linked to the Storm 1849 threat group, which The Sun newspaper previously reported was responsible for breaching Foreign Office systems and accessing confidential data. While Bryant refused to directly confirm the involvement of Chinese operatives or the Chinese state in the hack, he acknowledged that "there certainly has been a hack".

Bryant's comments come on the heels of a report by The Sun newspaper, which suggested that Storm 1849, a China-linked cyber gang, had compromised tens of thousands of visa details. According to The Sun, this group is part of a state-aligned hacking apparatus that has been accused of targeting politicians and groups critical of the Chinese government.

When asked for more information about the incident, the Foreign Office issued a statement saying that it was working to investigate a "cyber incident" and that the security of its systems and data was taken "extremely seriously".

The confirmation of the hack raises questions about the UK government's cybersecurity measures and whether they were sufficient to prevent such an attack. It also highlights concerns about China's increasing involvement in cyber attacks on Western countries.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously acknowledged that China poses "national security threats" to Britain, but defended his government's decision to engage with the country more closely. His visit to Beijing in late January is seen as an attempt to strengthen ties between the two nations.

The incident at the Foreign Office follows two major cyber attacks on big British companies earlier this year. Hacks forced Jaguar Land Rover to shut down production for five weeks, while retailer Marks & Spencer suspended online orders for six weeks.

Bryant attempted to reassure the public by stating that the government had managed to close the "hole" quickly and that there was a low risk of individuals being affected by the breach. However, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of even the most secure systems to cyber attacks.